Machines, such as excavators and power shovels, may include a deck or other platform that rotates above continuous tracks, wheels, pontoons, etc. Extending from the deck, the machine may further include a boom for an articulated arm or crane designed to operate a bucket, a breaker, a hook, or any other such work tool. Accordingly, such machines typically include one or more actuators designed to move the tracks, rotate the deck by providing the slewing power, and operate the articulated arm.
By way of example, an excavator or power shovel may typically operate in work cycles which may include digging, lifting, swinging, dumping, and returning steps for operating a bucket to dig and load fragmented rock, earth, minerals, overburden, and the like for mining or construction purposes. The operation of rotating the deck of the machine is generally achieved by applying slewing power via a motor or other such powering means. Most of the time, various components of the machine are designed to make the machine capable of operating under heavy loads and bear the structural stresses up to a maximum limit defined by the system design requirements. Further, an existing or older machine may be put to handle operations like dredging, or any other such operation requiring to rotate the deck under heavy load on the bucket. The slewing power is generally increased by the operator in such situations to successfully operate under heavy resistance to the movement of the upper deck. However, an increased slewing power along with the heavy load of the bucket may lead to structural damage in certain situations. This may affect structural integrity of the machine, safety of the operator, and any probability of utilizing the existing or older machines to handle dredging like operations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,369 (hereinafter referred to as '369 reference) describes control device for automatically stopping swiveling of a crane. The '369 reference includes stopping the crane based upon calculations related to inertial moment of the rotary body and inertial moment of the load. However, the '369 reference does not disclose details about any solution for continuous operation of the machine without stopping the swiveling movement.
Therefore, an improved control system for controlling slewing power of the machine is required.